


you were meant to light the sky

by sophh



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Beaches, Crushes, M/M, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Shell Cottage (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:49:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27422995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophh/pseuds/sophh
Summary: While staying at Shell Cottage, Dean decides to reach out to Ron, but ends up making an important realization about himself in the process.
Relationships: Dean Thomas/Ron Weasley
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	you were meant to light the sky

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the WWW Pairing the Character challenge. This week's character was Ron, and I chose to pair him with Dean. 
> 
> I don't know how much sense the beginning makes, but I was trying to contrast how Ron might have felt compared to some of the other people staying at Shell Cottage.

Dean watched as Ron sank down into the sand and curled his knees up to his chest. The redhead's lanky frame was hunched over, as though he was trying to make himself appear more small. Dean's heart went out to him. He knew that Ron was probably struggling more than anyone to adjust to this new reality. Harry was no stranger to hard times, Hermione was used to taunts about her blood status and intelligence, and Luna...well, she had always been an outcast anyway.

Ron was different. Ron came from a large family just like Dean, but he had a support network the likes of which Dean could only imagine. His mum sent him a large batch of cookies every Christmas, and made sure that he was well-fed whenever he went home. He'd had a myriad of siblings to watch over him and boost his morale. Now, the redhead had only Fleur's cooking to look forward to, and Dean doubted that he would want to talk to anyone about the loneliness he was likely feeling. 

Still, Dean felt as though he ought to make an effort to communicate with his former classmate. If he were in Ron's place, he would want someone to reach out to him, too. 

"Ron?" Dean spoke softly, not wanting to startle Ron or ruin the tranquility of the waves crashing against the shore. 

Ron kept his head down, making no attempt to indicate whether he had heard Dean or not. 

Dean took a few steps closer, tugging his jumper more tightly around himself to ward off the early April chill. "Ron," he repeated. This time, the redhead looked up at him with wary eyes. "I—how are you feeling?"

Ron shrugged and tore his eyes away from Dean. "Fine." 

"Mind if I sit?"

Ron hesitated, and for a moment, Dean almost hoped that he would say no. "Sure." 

Dean sat down next to him and scooped some sand into his hand. It felt chilly and damp but it was also incredibly soothing, especially when he curled his fingers around the granules and squeezed. He sat like that, filtering sand through his fingers as Ron remained silent beside him, for some time. Finally, remembering his reason for coming out to the beach in the first place, he ventured to speak again. "I know you've had a tough few months, Ron, so if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here." 

Ron carded a hand through his hair. "I said I was fine, Dean." 

"If you really are fine, then I'll leave you alone. I just thought it might be easier for you to open up to someone other than Harry or Hermione," Dean said quietly. He made to stand up and leave, but Ron grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down. 

"No, don't go. I'm sorry for snapping at you," Ron mumbled. After a moment, he added, "It's just hard, you know? So much of my family is fighting in this war, and that means a whole lot of people I care about are in danger. I'm so busy trying to keep Harry and Hermione safe, though, that it sometimes doesn't feel like I have enough time to worry about anyone else."

Dean knew the feeling well. "My family's pretty big too, and they're all Muggles, so I understand the whole worry thing." 

"Blimey, mate, I'd forgotten. That must be rough," Ron said, looking over at him with wide eyes. 

"It is what it is, I reckon," Dean said, looking out over the water. "Ginny actually helped me realize that." 

She had also helped him realize that he was more interested in boys than girls, but he didn't think it was appropriate to mention that at the moment. 

Ron made an odd sputtering noise, and Dean jerked his head away from the scenic view to give him an alarmed look. "Ginny?" the redhead demanded. "As in my sister?" 

Dean frowned. "Who else would I be talking about?"

"No one," Ron said hastily, his face pink. "I just...er, it's weird for me to think about you two being, you know, together." 

"Sorry. She's an amazing girl, though, your sister." Dean meant those words wholeheartedly. Ginny had accepted his sexuality without question and even kept it a secret for him. 

Ron's blue-eyed gaze seemed to intensify, and Dean shifted uncomfortably. "Why did you two break up, anyway? Ginny was pretty vague about it, and once she started dating that tosser Michael Corner, I gave up asking." 

"Er—" Dean struggled to think of a reply that wouldn't totally freak Ron out, "—she wanted to be with someone she was a little more... compatible with." 

Ron raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?" 

"We both just wanted different things," Dean muttered, finding it difficult to look away from the other boy. He didn't _want_ to look away, he realized with a start. The realization crashed over him like the waves that crashed upon the shore. He... _fancied_ Ron Weasley. 

This was not good. 

"I should go check on Mr. Ollivander," he said quickly, all but leaping to his feet. "He likes watching me draw in the afternoon when he takes his tea." 

With that, he started back towards Shell Cottage, feeling the weight of Ron's stare on his retreating figure as he did so. 


End file.
